Groundwater Resources Assessment and Development Unit (GRADU) is a very popular section of the Department

Drilling Services | Geophysical Investigations

For more information, contact :

Director,
Mineral Resources Department,
Private Mail Bag,
GPO, Suva.
Fiji Islands.

FAX:      (679)  337 0039
PHONE: (679)  338 1611

or   [Contact us by Email]

Quick Access: Table of Contents

The Mineral Resources Department is effectively responsible for the groundwater resources of the nation; including its monitoring and protection from abuse and contamination.  The Hydrogeology or the Groundwater Resources Assessment and Development Unit therefore has a very critical role to play in the development of the nation.

Resource Investigations, Borehole Drilling and Groundwater Monitoring are routinely carried out based on annual funding directly from departmental budget or through other government departments such as Public Works, Rural Development or Primary Industries, depending on the purpose of the boreholes.

Groundwater related work is sometimes also carried out for private companies or commercial operations on contract; when the required services are not available in the country.

Community Education is used to create  awareness for groundwater among the users and general public.

A Database of Boreholes is being maintained by the section containing details of : hydrogeological investigations, borehole drilling program, borehole structure specifications,  water quality and extraction rate of groundwater from boreholes.

Apart from carrying out a complete groundwater project which includes  investigation, drilling and development of borehole, the unit often carries out part of the groundwater work involving :

• Site selection based on results of geophysical surveys or other hydrogeological knowledge
• Evaluation of borehole capability through pump tests and sampling.
• Providing technical advice on groundwater extraction and management in different aquifers.

GRADU Small Islands Project

Hydrogeological work including investigation and drilling on small remote islands involves quite a different challenge with often relatively higher cost and specialized drilling equipment due to transportation problems.

Special project funding has thus been allocated for this, which allows one or two islands to be attended to per year depending on their location.  Supplementary funding from other sources is often necessary if several boreholes need to be drilled.